


seize the day (rebut hari)

by thank_raziel



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Author Is Sleep Deprived, BAMF Magnus Bane, Banter, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Developing Relationship, Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Episode: s02e04 Day of Wrath, First Dates, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Missing Scene, One Shot, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:08:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23726581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thank_raziel/pseuds/thank_raziel
Summary: In theory, this had to be the worst first date ever.But right now, running for his life in the streets of Morocco? Alec didn’t mind it.Or, what if Alec and Magnus hadn’t been interrupted by Raj in 2x04 and went to get lamb kabobs in Marrakesh?
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 6
Kudos: 96





	seize the day (rebut hari)

**Author's Note:**

> just a lil' idea I had while watching shadowhunters. not my best work, so please feel free to point out any mistakes I missed while editing.
> 
> also, I keep having this problem where when I'm pasting my fic from my word doc into ao3, there's always weird spacing, like double/triple spaces between words or right in the middle of words. it's super annoying and I've tried to fix it as best I can, but help would be amazing!
> 
> I feel like I always make my author's notes way too long, so enjoy the show!

Disclaimer: These aren’t my characters. Except for Rafiq, I guess. But he’s just the lamb kabob man. 

“Look, Magnus,” Alec started, butterflies in his stomach. They were standing in the middle of the corridor of the Institute, various Shadowhunters milling around. “With everything that’s been going on, we haven’t really... haven’t had a chance to...” he trailed off, not certain on how to phrase the question. Magnus looked up at him innocently, eyes sparkling with amusement. _Who knew that asking someone out was so hard?_

“Go on that first date we never had?” he supplied helpfully. 

Alec blushed and scrubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, exactly.” 

“I know a place in SoHo that has the _best_ lamb kebabs this side of Marrakesh.” Gasping, he turned to look at Alec with a mischievous grin on his face. “Or we can Portal to Marrakesh. You hungry?” 

“Starving.” 

“Well, it’s been decided. We’re going to Marrakesh!” 

~ 

The Portal deposited them in a small alleyway of a street buzzing with activity, the bright sun beating down on the worn cobbles beneath their feet. Alec breathed in the spice-infused air and took in the lively surroundings. Colourful umbrellas and tents lined the square beyond, tourists and locals alike seeking refuge in the blissful shade to browse through wares from handmade jewelry to fresh flatbreads stuffed with meat and onions. 

The warlock laughed. “Quite the sight, isn’t it?” 

“Magnus, I- this is amazing!” Alec could barely restrain himself from bouncing on the balls of his feet like an excited child. “I’ve never been out of the country, let alone _Morocco_.” 

“You need to take a break more often, Alexander. You can’t just spend your whole life in New York, as lovely as it is.” 

“Well, then I guess it’s good that I met you, hm?” Alec fired back, fondness in his voice. 

Magnus scoffed. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Now, come on.” He took the other by the arm and led him into the middle of the marketplace. “I’ll give you a tour.” 

~ 

The open-air marketplace was unlike anything Alec had ever seen before. He kept lagging behind, wanting to explore, while Magnus had to sporadically turn around and ensure that Alec didn’t get lost in the crowd. 

“My god, vacationing with you is like having to take care of a young child,” Magnus grumbled, no real bite in his tone. His keen eyes scanned the bustling square, perking up when he found what he was looking for. “Over there. The best lamb kebobs that you can find.” Alec followed his gaze, landing on a humble yellow food cart being manned by a pot-bellied middle-aged man with a cheery smile on his face. Sizzling lamb kebobs roasted nearby, with containers of various spices and herbs sitting ready beside the grill. 

A heavenly smell wafted over to Alec’s nose, reminding him how hungry he really was. Magnus must have smelled it too, given the way he marched across the street, dragging the Shadowhunter along with him. The vendor looked up as they approached, his face breaking into a wide smile. 

“Ah, Magnus! Back again?” he said with a thick accent. 

“You know I can’t stay away, Rafiq. How is Amirah?” 

“Good, good! Growing up so fast, almost as tall as me now!” He gestured towards Alec. “Who is this? The lady didn’t come this time?” 

“No, but I’ll bring Catarina next time. This is Alec. Alec, Rafiq.” 

“Hey. Nice to meet you.” Alec said politely, extending a hand. 

All of a sudden, he got pulled into a tight hug, letting out a small _oof_ as he collided with the other man. “Any friend of Magnus’s is a friend of mine.” When Rafiq pulled back, he had a cheeky grin on his face. “So are you two...” He wiggled his eyebrows. Alec flushed at the implication, while Magnus laughed. 

“Yeah, we’re seeing each other.” 

“Oh, that’s great. You two look cute together.” 

“As much as I love talking with you, Rafiq, we all know the real reason I'm here." Magnus winked. 

“Of course, yes!” Rafiq reached over and picked four of the caramelized skewers up, inspecting each carefully before sprinkling a generous amount of spice on each. Magnus quickly took his wallet out of his pocket, but Alec stopped him, hand reaching for his own. 

“I’m the one that asked you out, shouldn’t I pay?” 

“Let me treat you, Alexander.” 

“You’ve already done too much for me.” 

“Yes, but do you have Moroccan dirhams on you?” 

“I-” he sighed, already admitting defeat. Rafiq was finishing up their order, and Magnus triumphantly slid a few bills across the counter. 

“Nonsense,” he said, pushing the money back. “These are... on the house, as you would say.” 

“In that case...” the warlock tucked the bills into the glass tip jar sitting on the counter before reliving Rafiq of the four kabobs with a wink. Handing two to Alec, he took a bite and groaned. 

“Rafiq, these get better every time I eat them.” 

“With the amount of times you’ve come, my friend, I would say now they’re the food of the gods."

~ 

Alec and Magnus strolled around the square, lamb kebobs in hand. Magnus wasn’t lying; these really were the best lamb kebobs he had ever eaten. He looked over at the other man and couldn’t help but admire the way his olive skin glowed in the sun, silver jewelry layered over a tasteful high-collared blue shirt catching the light. 

The ivory-haired man smirked. “Good?” 

“Amazing.” Alec continued attacking the skewer of deliciousness without abandon. The other let out an airy laugh. 

“When did you last eat?” he asked, a tinge of genuine concern in his voice. 

“Aldertree’s been sending us on so many missions. I barely have enough time to do things like eat.” 

“You have to take better care of yourself, you know.” Magnus chided. He bumped his shoulder against the other’s. “Not everything’s fixed with a rune.” 

Alec sighed. “I know. Just with everything going on... it’s hard to relax when your parabatai is in prison and a psychotic murderer is still on the loose.” 

“A psychotic murderer that also has the Mortal Cup, may I add.” 

The Shadowhunter laughed. “Yes, like that just makes everything better.” 

A few seconds passed before Magnus asked, “Still hungry?” He eyed the two skewers clutched in Alec’s hand, void of any lamb. 

“Maybe,” he answered, tossing them into a nearby trash can. 

“Let’s see...” the warlock surveyed the many stalls nearby, eyes lighting up as he spotted something. “Up for some... steamed sheep head?” 

“Are you joking?” he said with disbelief. Sure enough, one of the bigger stalls had whole sheep heads proudly on display. “Their eyes are staring into my soul.” 

“It’s a _delicacy,_ Alexander.” 

“Not to me, it isn’t.” 

“A _once in a lifetime_ opportunity. How many people do you know that have eaten a sheep’s brain?” 

“They’ve got a good reason not to.” 

“I’m buying one.” 

“Wha- _no_!” 

“I’m buying _half_ of one.” He defiantly marched off in the direction of the stall. 

~ 

After much negotiation (Alec had to give it to the man, he knew what he was doing when it comes to persuasion), the warlock finally convinced Alec to take a bite of the sheep tongue. 

“By the Angel!” He grimaced. “Why is it... _bumpy?”_ Swallowing and making a face like he had just downed a shot, Alec turned to Magnus, a look of horror on his face. 

“It’s not that bad. See?” Magnus casually scraped some of the cheek out and ate it, a small smile playing on his lips. Alec just looked at him. Sighing, the warlock snapped his fingers and the disembodied head disappeared from the small table they were sitting at. 

“Where did you send that?” he asked cautiously.

“To my fridge. It’s good stuff, can’t let it go to waste.” The other man shook his head and stood up. He glanced at his watch, still set to New York time.

“I should get back soon; they’re probably wondering where I went.” 

Making a noise of agreement, Magnus rose from his chair and added, “That sheep head’s waiting for me.” 

He snorted. “Shut up,” giving the warlock a playful shove. 

“Come on, I’ll buy you a _briwat.”_

 _“_ No animal brains?” 

“None.” 

~ 

_Briwats_ _are damn good,_ Alec thought as they walked down a side street, Magnus looking for a suitable place to open a Portal. Turns out, they were a type of pastry filled with almond paste, dipped in honey, and dusted with a coating of powdered sugar. 

They sunk into a lazy silence, not feeling the need to say something or start another conversation. They were both content to focus on their own thoughts, though the presence of the other was a nice comfort. Cars idled down the lane, the ordinary neighbourhood a sudden contrast from the animated square they were in just moments before. 

“Here’s good,” Magnus said, stopping at an alleyway similar to the one they arrived in. With fluid motions, a Portal quickly formed at the hands of the experienced warlock. He cocked his head towards the swirling violet mass. 

“Wait, Magnus.” Alec took hold of the other man’s wrist, stopping him in his tracks. He cleared his throat. “Um, I really enjoyed today.” 

His features softened, turning into a soft smile. Espresso brown eyes accented with smoky liner gazed into his own. “I did too, Alexander. We should do this again. I’ve heard Prague is lovely this time of year.” 

“I’d like that.” He gently cupped Magnus’s face, running his thumb over the other’s cheekbone, and tentatively pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Magnus melted into the kiss, tickling the hairs at the nape of the Shadowhunter’s neck as he rested his arms on the other man’s shoulders. Honey and almond filled his taste buds as his mouth moved against Alec’s. 

Regretfully, the moment didn’t last long, a faint shriek breaking through the din of everyday life. Magnus abruptly pulled back, eyes finding the other’s in an instant. 

“Did you-” 

“Yes.” He took off in the span of a heartbeat, the warlock following close on his heels. Racing into the middle of the street, he swept the area with keen eyes, hand straying to a seraph blade hidden in a pocket of his jacket. Another cry echoed in his ears, seeming to come from the direction of the market they had just come from. 

“Over there!” Magnus pointed, confirming his suspicions. They sprinted down the sidewalk with renewed vigour, houses and gardens a blur as they passed by. 

“What do you think it is?” Alec asked, fumbling for his stele. 

“Definitely not a vampire; the sun’s still out. But Morocco has looser restrictions on these things. It could be anything.” They had reached the vibrant square in record time, darting through the crowds on high alert. A streak of black caught Magnus’s eye, and he watched as it darted behind a small, run-down building. He quickly signalled to Alec, gesturing to the non-descript property behind a few stalls. 

Nearing the building, he loosened his cuffs and unbuttoned his collar, cursing his past self for wearing the most inconvenient pants to fight in today. Blue sparks were already forming at his hands. Alec flanked his side as they pressed their backs against the wall, his seraph blade casting a dim glow on his face. 

“Three...” 

“Two...” 

“One.” They rounded the corner and recoiled as they saw a Ravener demon dragging the unmoving body of a middle-aged woman in its jaws. It hissed as the two men charged, springing forwards to meet Alec head-on. Magnus crouched over the woman, magic working furiously to draw out the venom in her system. 

“Magnus!” Alec shouted, a warning in his voice. The Ravener had decided to call his friends for backup just before being disintegrated by Alec’s seraph blade. One was heading straight towards Magnus’s unguarded figure before a blast of blue flame launched the demon back to the far wall. 

“She’ll be fine,” Magnus reported urgently. “But we have to get these demons away from the mundanes.” Alec nodded, thinking the same thing. He sunk his blade into a demon with its fangs bared, catching another in the chest with his foot. “Let’s go!” He started backing out of the alley, the demons eagerly following their enemy. Blue tongues of magic burst from the warlock’s nimble fingers before quickly joining Alec at his side. Alternating between balls of blue magic and fiery slashes, the demons seemed to be never-ending, others crawling to join the ongoing fight from rooftops and sewers. 

They had reached the edges of the square, a few mundanes finally taking notice to the strange men emerging from the alley. Screaming, they scrambled onto tables and stalls, putting as much distance between themselves and the fight. 

Dimly, Alec thought, _I wonder what the_ _mundanes_ _see the demons as. A pack of wild animals_ _? Regular humans? Nothing_ _? Does it just look like we’re crazy?_ He was interrupted from his musings by Magnus saying his name. 

‘Alec! You see that road leading off on your left?" Without waiting for confirmation, he continued. “It goes to an abandoned yard. Run!” 

They broke into a full sprint, pushing people out of harm’s way, most of them running on their own accord. Alec’s heart pounded in his chest as he ran, adrenaline thrumming in his veins. Magnus was sporadically throwing explosive balls of magic over his shoulder, but the demons were unrelenting. It was complete chaos; they were leaping over tables and chairs with reckless abandon, hardly minding what they stepped on or stumbled over. The distant wail of police sirens could faintly be heard, and Alec groaned internally, although he couldn’t blame the mundies for calling the police. 

A weedy field was coming up, and Alec assumed that this was the abandoned yard Magnus was talking about. It was clear of any visible people, and frankly, the perfect place to battle a giant swarm of demons on his first date. He stopped in the middle of the area, overgrown grass tickling his ankles. A small voice in his head informed him that they seemed to be making a dent in the mass of demons surrounding them, the dead staying dead and the alive lessening with every kill. The thought spurred him on, fighting like he had never fought before. 

A demon lunged at Alec, a desperate move that he saw coming from miles away. He thrust his blade straight into the gaping mess of teeth in his face. It crumbled around the blade, which was expected. What _wasn’t_ expected was that Alec was left holding a useless hilt of a blade without a blade, the shining adamas seeming to fly away with the rest of the demon remains. 

_Well, fuck._

“Um, Magnus?” he yelled, voice rising higher with panic. It's not like he could punch the rest of the demons to death. The warlock spared a glance his way and did a double take, an almost comical look of shock written on his face. “How does that even happen?” 

“I don’t know!” Magnus quickly threw up his hands and encased them in a blue protective bubble. The demons screeched and pounded their fists in answer, piling up against the translucent walls. 

“That’s not going to last long,” he said. 

“Now what do we do? That was my only weapon. I was expecting a date, not a rampaging horde of demons trying to kill us.” 

“Wait, wait.” Magnus held up a finger, raking a hand through his styled hair. “I’ve got a plan. Do you trust me?” 

“Of course I trust you, Magnus.” 

“Good. In a few seconds, I’m going to let down the shield. When I give you the signal, jump backwards.” 

“Okay, but what’s the signal?” 

Magnus looked up, a smirk that out of place considering the context of the situation making its way across his face. “Well, that would take the fun out of it, wouldn’t it?” 

Alec didn’t have time to respond, because he had already dissolved the protective shields surrounding them and the remaining demons surged forwards. He heard Magnus take a deep breath beside him, senses going into overdrive. The world seemed to slow down as he watched the wave of demons barrel towards him. Turning his head, he locked eyes with the dark-haired man standing beside him. Magnus gave him a minuscule nod, trusting him to understand what that means, and Alec knew immediately that that was the signal. 

The last thing he saw before getting sucked into the Portal behind them was a wave of blue magic sweeping across the land, the last demons transforming into ashes before his eyes. 

~ 

They landed on the hard concrete outside the Institute’s gates, Magnus stumbling a bit before the Shadowhunter reached out to steady him. They stood in shocked silence for a few seconds, before Magnus mused in an unexpectedly serious tone, “And to think, we just wanted lamb kabobs.” 

Alec giggled, actually _giggled_ , before it turned into full-blown peals of laughter, his tall figure doubling over and clutching his stomach. The warlock joined shortly after, the last few minutes’ absurdity of events finally setting in. They laughed, and laughed, and laughed, tears coming to Magnus’s eyes and blood rushing to Alec’s face until they were both panting, leaning against the concrete base of the wrought-iron fence surrounding the Institute's perimeter. 

_What a sight we must be_ , Alec thought. _Two strange men_ _covered in dust and laughing their heads off. But I’m sure people who live in New York have seen worse._ That just set him off again, a second round of delirious laughter made even funnier by the fact Magnus didn’t know what they were laughing about. It felt like ages that they were sitting on the sandy sidewalk, leaning more on each other than the wall against their backs. As the laughter died down, Alec turned to Magnus, and said, “Couldn’t you have done that earlier?” 

“Well, it’s a dicey spell at best, and there were too many of them until the end. Besides, we were doing fine until your seraph blade _broke_!” he said accusingly, a wide smile still on his face. 

“Hey, I didn’t know that was even possible until now. Those things are supposed to last forever.” 

“So, then you had to pick the defective one?” 

The Shadowhunter gently shoved Magnus off his shoulder in answer. “Shut up.” 

At that moment, Izzy spotted them as she walked down the street. 

“Alec! Everyone’s been looking for you! Where have you-” Alec looked up from his spot on the ground, squinting against the sun as his younger sister halted to a stop in front of them. “Do I want to know what happened?” 

“First date.” Magnus huffed out a laugh and pressed a kiss to Alec’s cheek. 

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are always appreciated, it really makes my day to see that someone actually does like my writing. concrit is welcome too, tips on writing fight scenes? I suck at them even though 2/3 of my fics have some kind of fight scene. that's probably not good.
> 
> for those who are curious: rebut hari (in the title) is Indonesian for seize the day, so I was kind of going for a carpe diem vibe there, I guess? I also used google translate, so apologies if it actually means something like "surprised mother egg". 
> 
> stay safe, wash your hands. until next time!


End file.
